Proposing a syllabus for the operation room B.S. courses in Iran

BACKGROUND: Education is based upon the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that are required for an occupation, and the changes occurring in the occupations and duties as well as in the ideals and values necessitate constant needs analysis. Furthermore, owing to the transformations in sciences, especially medical sciences, the current syllabus for the operation room courses at associate level will not meet the requirements for operation room personnel in future. Therefore, the syllabus for operation room B.S. was developed and proposed in a research project entitled “Study of the international syllabus for the operation room courses and proposing an appropriate syllabus for the courses in Iran.” Since the operation room courses at B.S. level are supposed to be introduced in Iranian universities, we intended to learn about the opinions of other people related to this subject in Iran. METHODS: In this research, a questionnaire was used that contained the syllabus proposed for the operation room B.S. courses, which was the result of a research project entitled “Study of the international syllabus for the operation room courses and proposing an appropriate syllabus for the courses in Iran.” To develop this syllabus, 12 heads of the operation room departments in universities across Iran in which the subject matter was being taught at associate level were consulted. RESULTS: The study showed that 14 out of the 53 courses proposed in the syllabus had a desirability level of 100%, 22 courses were desirable at levels of 91-100%, 19 were 75-90% desirable, and no courses had a desirability level less than 75%. After carrying out some modifications to the syllabus, the problems were resolved and the opinions were again asked. When a consensus of greater than 70% was reached, the syllabus for the operation room courses at B.S. level was finalized and proposed. The regulations from the Development, Planning, and Evaluation Office of the Ministry of Health were also followed. CONCLUSIONS: Although all the courses showed a desirability level of greater than 70%, receiving appropriate suggestions about some courses led the research team to carry out major or minor modifications to some of the courses.